Page 74 of Blackwood

“I’m ready.” I folded my napkin next to my plate.

“Now?” Rory spoke around a mouthful of pancake.

“Yeah.” I stood as he took a gulp of coffee.

“Sure.” He followed me to my feet. “I was thinking it would be this afternoon. I have to run to the back of the Long property first, check on a report of a deer in the road. Can you wait for me to get back?”

I didn’t want to spend another minute in my room. With my mind made up, it was time to leave. Time to get started on finding the truth no matter how much it hurt. “I’ll just go with you.”

He put a hand on my shoulder. “There might be a dead deer. Is that okay?”

I wanted to laugh. I’d seen my father’s skull a few days ago. I could handle a deer.

The SUV rocked along the gravel road, bumping over the back way out of the Lodge. A shotgun was locked upright between the front seats, and dirt was caked along the floor mats.

“You want music?” Rory reached over and flipped on the radio. A country song warbled through the speakers.

I stared out the window and fought the sadness that seeped into me. Garrett. I was leaving him behind. Was he still in his room or watching me leave? Did he know that I intended to bring him down? That whatever sins he’d committed two years ago wouldn’t stay buried as long as I drew breath?

“I used to hunt out here before they built the Lodge. Seems like now, though, they scared the game away. Too many people, you know?” Rory cleared his throat. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

“Mmhmm?” I pulled my coat closer around me as I waited for the heater to warm the small space.

“I know this isn’t the most, um, opportune time to ask. But since you’re going to be in town for a little while, would you like to—”

“Shh.” I peered out the window. “Stop the car!” Something in the woods caught my eye. A flash of orange.

The SUV halted, its tires skidding a little over the gravel.

“What is it?” Rory leaned over and stared in the same direction.

“I saw something.” I couldn’t find the mark anymore, but I knew it had been there, the same one from Lillian’s photos.

“What?”

“Come on.” I yanked on the door handle and stepped out into the frozen air.

I walked through the gravel and up onto the short bank next to the road before plunging into the woods.

“Wait just a gosh darn second!” Rory caught up and took my elbow, but he didn’t stop me from walking. “What did you see?”

“Orange.”

“Elise, maybe we should go on back to the Lodge. I don’t think you’ve recovered enough.”

I stopped and turned to him. “I’m not crazy. There’s a mark. I think it’s on one of these trees. I have to find it. If you don’t want to help me, go back to the truck, but Iwillfind it.” I ripped my elbow from his grasp and clambered over a fallen tree, my boot slipping in the snow along the top.

“Jeez, woman. No need to get mad.” He followed and took my elbow again, helping me along.

“Keep looking.”

He scanned the trees as we maneuvered around a fallen branch. “What kind of mark?”

“It’s like a circle with a squiggle through the middle.”

“Like the Ghostbusters thing?” He tipped his hat back on his head.

“Yeah, kind of like that.”

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